Collapsible megaphone.



G. F. HOOEY.

COLLAPSIBLE MEGAPHONE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. Isls.

1,211,584. Paten@ Jan, 9,1917.

mmmlllllhi ||||||IIl I III INVENTOR WITNESSES Geo/yeEHooe l r ATTORNEY mentary vertical longitudine GEORGE F. HOOEY, 0F SECHELT, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA; i I

VcoLLArsIBLE nacernoms.

Specification of Letten Patent.

Application-med June 2, 1,916. Serial No. 101,380.

To all whom 'it may concern: .l

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. Hoonr, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Sechelt, in the Province of British Columbia and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Megaphones, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a folding or collapsing megaphone and more particularly to a megaphone having a structure of pyramidal formation, two of the opposite sides of which are adapted to fold or collapse whereby the structure may be confined within a minimum space.`

As a further object of the invention'the device is provided Iwith manually operated means by which the structure may be held in operative position, the operating means being adapted to be disposed in a position where it will be interposed'and confined in a minimum space when the megaphone is in folded position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pyramidal structure having hinged portions or sides by which the several sections constituting the structure may be compactly folded; the hinges comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending strips of fabric fastened to the sections in any de- Sired manner. l

A further object of this invention is the provision of a megaphone which .consists of comparatively few parts and is simple in construction, but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which devices of this character are ordinarily sub? jected.

For a full description of the. invention and the advantages and merits thereof,

reference is to be had to the following de-j of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section showing the structure in collapsed position. .Fig 4 is a pe tive view of a detail of the invention. i 5 is a fragsection on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. V

While it is customary to construct a megaphone of eonical'formation, I have found that the same results may be obtained by constructing the megaphone ofpyramidal formation.

The structure comprising the megaphone consists of side walls 1 and 2 which, for the purposes of this description w'll be termed the upper wall 1 and the lower wall 2; this being the position of the walls when the megaphone is in operative position. Side walls 3 and 4 are each divided into collapsible sections 5 and 6 and the upper edges of the collapsible sections 5'iare connected to the upper wall 2 by means of longitudinally extending stripsl 7 of fabric or other suitable pliable material. These strips 7 are secured to the wall 1 and the collapsible sections 5 by an adhesive or other suitable fastening means and, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing the corners or edges of the walls are disposed in a position relative to each other whereby the strips 7 act as hinges and allow the collapsible sections 5 to fold or swing inwardly as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing. The edges of the lower collapsible section 6 are secured to the lower wall 2 in a similarA fabric and fastened by means of an adhesive and are desi ed to prevent the edges from becoming inJured While the device is in use. It is pointed out in this connection that the walls of themegaphone are constructed of card-board or. other suitable light material and the bracing of the edges thereof is provided to prevent injury to the fragile cardboard.

For holdingthe structure comprisi the megaphone in operative. position, the e 11 is vprovided which consists of a are brace frame 12 which is disposed within the megaphone and adapted to contact with each of the walls thereof when in operative position. The lower wall 2 of the is provided with a pair of '13 whlch receive the lower arms 14 of the frame. The

lower wall 2 is also dprovided with an opening 15 and the han e 16 of theframe propening15 jects downwardly through thel o whereitmaybegraspedbytheoperatorto Patent-ed Jan. 9, 1917. Y

. position.

rlhe frame is constructed of a single strand of heavy wire and the handle 16 is provided, by bending downwardly the strand of wire, as shown by Fig. 2 of the drawing. rll`he bearings 13 are constructed of any suitable thin metallic material and, as shown in detail in Fig. 4, each consists of the arcuate bearing portion and the plate, which rests upon the wall 2, and have downwardly bent terminals to provide prongs which may be folded or bent on the Vouter side of the wall 2 for vholding the bearing in position.

To operate the megaphone, for moving it into collapsible or folded position, it is merely necessary to swing the handle 16 upwardly until it contacts with the wall 2 which will cause the frame 12 to swing downwardly and lie flat -against the inner side of the wall 2. The collapsible side sections 5 and 6 are then folded inwardly as shown by Fig. 3 and the device is thereby placed in folded position for conveniently carrying the same.

lin reduction to practice I have found that the form ofmy invention illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is

the most yefficient and practicable; yet realizmg that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary,

I desire to emphasize the -fact that various l minor lchanges in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement'of parts may be resorted'to, when required, without sacricing any of the advantages of my 1n-v vention, as defined in the'appended claims.

l claim:

1. A collapsible megaphone, comprising a frusto pyramidal structure, comprisin four walls of substantially rectangular con guration in cross section, the said walls being collapsible, and a rectangular frame pivotally 'mounted on one of the walls and adapted to engage all of the said walls when 1n operative position. z

2. A. collapsible megaphone, comprising four tapered walls, hinges joining the meeting edges ofthe walls, two of the walls bef ing divided into sections for permitting the saine to be folded between the adjacent `walls being centrally divided to animee being divided into sections for permitting.

the same to be'folded between the adjacent walls, collapsible bracing means embraced by the said walls for holding the same in operative position, one of the said walls having an aperture formed therein, and a -handle disposed on the exterior of one of the walls and associated with the said collapsible bracing means for operating the said means from without the megaphone.

4. A collapsible megaphone, comprising a plurality of tapered walls, some of the said walls being centrally longitudinally divided, hinge elements secured to the meeting edges of the said divided wall and to the adjoining edges of the said main tapered walls, and collapsible bracing means embraced by the said walls and adapted to be disposed for holding the said walls in rigid open position.

5. A collapsible megaphone, comprising a plurality of tapered walls, two of said walls being centrally divided to provide collapsible sections, hinges connecting the edges of said walls and the meeting edges of said collapsible sections, a brace frame pivotally mounted on one of said walls and disposed in the space between said walls,-

and an operating handle for said frame.

6. A. collapsible megaphone, comprising a plurality of tapered "walls, two of said rovide collapsible sections, hinges connecting the edges of said walls and the meeting edges of said collapsible sections, a brace frame comprising a square frame formed of a single strand of wire, bearings carried by vone of said walls and pivotally receiving a portion of said frame whereb f said frame maybe swung into or out o with the inner sides of said walls, a handle integrally formed with said frame and egitending downwardly through an opening 1n one of said walls, the end of said handle where it joins said frame being curved to permit the said frame and said handle to lie snugly againstvsaid wall.

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature A in presence of two witnesses.

GEGRGE F. HOOEY.

"Witnesses M. H. TEBB, Tiros. Lauarn.

engagement 

